I’m a Fan of……Art Galleries

….thanks to Jez for hosting I’m a fan of……https://jezbraithwaite.blog/2023/03/20/a-ride-to-the-park-fan-of-198/

I love to browse through art galleries for a variety of reasons. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon or even just an hour or less. It informs me on what is happening in the world, the values of other cultures and the diversity of art itself. I don’t always love everything I see but I can appreciate what the artist went through to make their art. The one comment I despise from other people who think that a piece of art is unworthy to hang in a gallery is….”I could do that”. The problem is that they didn’t do that and never will.

The big art gallery in Toronto is the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) and I love going there but I also enjoy going to smaller galleries like the Dignam Gallery at WAAC, the Assembly Hall Gallery and all the smaller and larger galleries we visited on our trips in Europe.

The galleries below are: The Louvre in Paris – first two photos. The Musée de Beaux-Arts in Tours, France – photos 3, 4 and 5. The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tours, France – photos 6,7 and 8. The Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art in London, England – photos 9, 10 and 11. The Barbican Art Gallery in London, England – photos 12, 13 and 14. The Tate Modern in London, England – photos 15m 16 and 17. The Dignam Art Gallery at WAAC in Toronto – photos 18, 19, 20 and 21 and Neilson Park Creative Centre in Etobicoke – photos 22, 23 and 24 . The Assembly Hall Gallery in Toronto – photos 25, 26 and 27.

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Weekly Prompts Wednesday Challenge – Belonging

thanks to Sue W and GC for hosting Weekly Prompts https://weeklyprompts.com/2023/02/01/weekly-prompts-wednesday-challenge-belonging/

Before COVID I belonged to a group of bakers. Every week, twice a week, we got together to make dough and bake bread in the wood burning oven at Montgomery’s Inn, one of Toronto’s Historical Museums. When COVID hit in March 2020 all volunteer jobs were eliminated and bread baking ceased to exist for almost three years. I loved belonging to this group of men and women who came together every week and I look forward to the day that we can once again get together to make bread.

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I also belong to an organization of mostly women artists but also some men and that too has reduced it’s in person activities considerably since COVID hit. I love belonging to such a creative group that shares knowledge and ideas so freely and openly. It’s given me the confidence to pursue my art journey and I even hosted my first solo art show in 2022.

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I also belong to a lawn bowling club and this past year we’ve been able to get together in person to play ‘normal’ games where we can have three people per side and use all the lanes at the same time. We were also able to celebrate Canada Day and we had a year end dinner. A great group of people that I’m happy to call friends.

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The most precious of groups that I belong to is that of my family and friends. COVID has been difficult but thanks to ZOOM and WhatsApp, I’ve been able to stay connected. In the past year we’ve been able to travel again to visit family overseas and on the east coast and we’ve even gotten together for celebrations to acknowledge milestone birthdays.

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Trios in Miniature – January 12, 2023

this week’s trios come from the gift boutique at WAAC

On the last day of the Gift Boutique I discovered an entire box of these lovely little hand painted ornaments. I couldn’t help myself….I had to have them.

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If you have any photos of trios to share, I’d love to see them. Copy my link from this post and paste it into your post. I’ll get a pingback and I’ll be sure to comment. Carol

RDP Wednesday – Exquisite

thanks to RDP for today’s prompthttps://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2022/10/19/rdp-wednesday-exquisite/

ex·quis·ite

adjective

  1. extremely beautiful and, typically, delicate.”exquisite, jewel like portraits”
  2. Similar: beautiful, overly elegant, graceful, magnificent, superb

There are art pieces that I consider ‘exquisite’ because they speak to me. They can be large or small, refined or bold and realistic or abstract. The following pieces from our most recent art show at WAAC, From Nature to Abstraction, I find ‘exquisite.

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Textures in Art – October 11, 2022

introducing some close-ups of the textures from the show Nature to Abstraction

There are many great pieces of art in the most recent show at WAAC but some have some outstanding visual textures.

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At Last – My Opening was a Success

after months of work my show finally opened

Thanks to all who encouraged me to keep painting and then supported me with a visit to the gallery and/or messages of love. I couldn’t be happier.

Those little red stickers were the icing on the cake.

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The first big piece that sold yesterday
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The two pieces that made up this trio were sold
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My curator, advertising designer and loving daughter
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My wonderful daughter-in-law
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My Biggest fan and supporter – love you to the moon and back

Ready for the Big Reveal

the doors open today for “Before and After Paris”

After months of preparation with ordering supplies, painting, framing and advertising, my show is ready for the public to see. I spent hours yesterday, with the help of two good friends hanging the paintings. Barb did a lot of the ladder work and Arlene eyed the levels and curated the placements. We were all very pleased with the final result. For those of you who live close by, I hope to see you at the opening but the show will be up till July 9th.

Here’s a peak of the gallery where every piece you see is mine.

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Getting Ready for my Solo Art Show – June 29th – July 9

….I’m about 90% ready

I’m very excited to promote my solo art at the Ruth Upjohn Gallery at the Women’s Art Association in Toronto. I’ve called it Before and After Paris, simply because some of the work was created before my trip to Europe and more after I returned home. Here is the flyer that I designed with the help of my daughter, Andrea.

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Most of my work consists of abstract florals and landscapes but I have also included some of my photographs in the form of cards. Here is a quick preview of some of my work.

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